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5 June 2007, 10:46 am

Warkworth Hosts Team Racing Nationals

New Zealand Team Racing Championship 2007

Warkworth, New Zealand

The New Zealand Teams Racing Nationals were held over the weekend in Algies Bay, Warkworth. Ten teams of six sailors from Nelson, New Plymouth, Whangarei, Bucklands Beach, Mahurangi and Kerikeri competed in the event sailed in 18 identical 420 dinghies, with a place at this year's ISAF Team Racing World Championship at stake.

Mahurangi and Kerikeri dominated the event, with Mahu X winning and Mahurangi College coming third. The Kerikeri team skippered by 420 Youth World Team Racing Champion Bradley FARRAND along with Andy MALONE and James SANDALL, came second and fourth was Black Cobras, another Kerikeri team lead by Reuben CORBETT.

The Mahu X team consisted of Laurie JURY, Graeme SUTHERLAND and Logan SUTHERLAND, Georgina HILL, Anne Marie WAUGH and Jamie DAWSON. All three skippers are top match racers and have dominated the youth match racing circuit. JURY and Graeme recently sailed with world #1 Ian WILLIAMS (GBR) in the ISAF Grade 1 Auckland Match Race Cup where they finished second, losing the final 3-1 to Dean BARKER (NZL).

Mahu X only lost two races out of the 21 sailed over the weekend. Both these races were won by the Mahurangi College team. Mahu X have been coaching the College team for the last few years, so the College team took great pleasure in giving their teachers a few pointers.

The Mahu X team will now represent New Zealand in the 2007 ISAF Team Racing World Championship, which will be held in Gandia, Spain in September.

World Sailing TV

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.